Septisol antiseptic foam: a sensible alternative to the conventional surgical scrub

Over a recent 8-year period, Septisol Foam (0.23% hexachlorophene in a 46% ethyl alcohol base) alone was used to prepare the hands and forearms of the author's surgical team. In 3480 cases, only 11 postoperative infections were encountered, for an incidence of 0.3%. All 11 infections involved patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgery and/or who had high-risk factors such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, perforated appendix, emergency surgery, age over 65 years, and foreign bodies in the form of hemodialysis access shunts. Septisol Foam is an effective bacteriostatic agent that minimizes the risk of dermatitis and offers sufficient antibacterial protection without supplementary handwashing. When used according to the method described here, the foam eliminates the need for scrub brushes and reduces the total scrub time to approximately 2 minutes in each case. In addition to being safe, effective, and easy to use, this method results in a marked decrease in water consumption and considerable monetary savings.